To Beer and Red Lights
by J'aimeleslivres
Summary: Post ep for 2162 Votes and kind of 17 People. Set afterwards. And somewhat AU, because it's in the Santos Administration. This is my first fic, dedicated to xxNight Angelxx Sorry I took so long, I just started high school. In memory of John Spencer.
1. Donna in the Morning

**To Beer and Red Lights**

And so another day starts. 5:45 am. Alarm clock goes off. My eyes push open. I'm tired as all hell, but some thing exciting happens today:

I start my new job!

I used to work for Russell, but he lost the primary because he's Bingo Bob and if he became President the bull would be the national animal and all of senior staff would be required to wear cowboy boots every other Tuesday and have a rodeo themed BBQ once a month. Needless to say, I wasn't exactly weeping when we lost.

As I watched on TV with my boss, Will, as President (at the time candidate) Santos gave one of the most incredible speeches I've heard, Josh came in with three beers. One for Will, one for him, and one for me. He came and sat close to me as we watched Santos and accept the nomination and announce Leo (my old boss) as Vice President nominee. It was truly remarkable, but Josh made it amazing.

As Santos was giving the acceptance speech, Josh reached for my right hand with his left and held it. With our fingers interwined and finally having a Democractic nomination, it was paradise in it's purest form. After about 10 minutes, Will decided to leave, all beat up about losing the nomination. With him gone, I had Josh to myself for the first time since my abrupt quitting the previous Christmas. I didn't know what to say, but luckily for me, he started the conversation. "You know, I still wouldn't stop for a beer Donnatella," he started.

"And I still wouldn't stop for red lights, Joshua," answering his nice gesture that made me realize the grudge we'd held against each other for six monthes had melted away.

"The a toast," he said with a great deal of enthusiam, "to Beer and Red Lights!" We then clinked beer bottles and took a celebratory sip, and then, seeing as we were so close, he pulled me and gave me a light kiss on the lips.

So that is why even though it's bright outside and I don't feel like waking up, it's Josh who's holding me, which just lights up my day.


	2. Josh Wakes Up

Sorry I didn't put this in last chapter. I'm new to fanfic writing, so if this sucks (or is good somehow) please tell me. I don't own any of these characters, unfortunately John Wells owns them and keeps messing them up. Pairings in this story: Josh/Donna, Sam/Ainsley, Charlie/Zoey, Toby/Annabeth (weird, I know). I hope to make this pretty long, but gradually. This is dedicated to xxNight Angelxx, who is an amazing writer. So here's chapter 2. I love reviews, so feel free.

As I pry my eyes open against the intense sunlight coming from the window, I would normally curse, but I see that my arms are wrapped around something warm. I look up and see Donna looking at me smiling. "Wake up sleepy head!" She greets me with. She tells me that it's 6:00 and that it's OK I slept an extra 15 minutes, because we've been through this before.

We are starting new lives together.

I'm the new Chief of Staff to President Santos after being his campaign manager; he graciously offered it to me as a thank you to getting him to do the most honorable job in government. I then brought Donna on board as my deputy, but Mrs. Santos liked her so much that she appointed Donna as her Chief of Staff. Today will be our first day in the White House if the Santos Administration.

We have a lot of old friends working with us. Annabeth is going to be our press secretary (Donna and bought her a bright pink stool just for her so that people can view our pint sized friend). Kate is now National Security Advisor. Sam is coming back. After losing the election, he started a law firm in LA called Pinafore Protectors, which he started with Ainsley. The law firm did all right, but when Santos offered him Communications director and Ainsley to be Donna's Deputy Chief of Staff, they literally jumped onto the next plane that was out to DC.

Toby, however, was a hard one to keep. After our big argument during the campaign trail, to get him to stay was awful hard. Before I offered anything he told me "I don't want my old job back, Josh. So get it right out of your head." When I offered him to be my Deputy instead, he had to think about it. He did say yes, but not to that. He is now Leo's (or the Vice President's) Chief of Staff. So things did get scrambled up a little bit.

So, desperate to find a deputy, I went to the one man I should have gone to first, who is so capable of doing this his name was written all over it. Charlie. He was also a tough one to convince, but he caved in. He said (with all due respect) that having to move up to the Manchester house with Zoey and her parents wasn't the dream life for the two of them. They live in an apartment together over by Logan Circle and they're getting married on February 22, one month from today. Charlie asked me to be the best man! I was honored and shocked that he chose me, but needless to say, I accepted.

(Former) President Bartlett and Mrs. B are moving back up to the farmhouse in Manchester. They'll come down for the wedding and are going to spend about a week catching up with us. It should be nice, but then the only time we'll see them after that is at their traditional Thanksgiving feast, which we are all invited to. I missed the last one, so the next one should be fun. CJ still lives in DC, but doesn't work at the White House. After the whole NASA thing and her leaking it, she wanted to bow out. However, she missed escaping Leo, so now she is special counsel to the Vice President. Will ran off to Orange County and no one has heard from him ever since the old VP "Bingo Bob" packed up his things. Next thing we know he'll have some surfer guy who goes "Dude" all the time run for president. So today should be exciting, but at the moment I have to run into the shower, before Donna uses up the hot water. And then. the beginning of my life with Donna the way it should've been for the last 9 years.


	3. A Note: From Josh?

Here's Chapter 3. I'm thinking of pairing CJ and Leo, but I'm not sure. The Toby/Annabeth pairing isn't going to be huge, I'm just experimenting. I think they'd be cute together, but we'll see what happens. I don't own any characters except for Gloria. Also, the night told in Chapter 1 is dated April 22.

**Kursk: No, Josh and Donna aren't engaged, but the ring thing is a good idea. I'll try and use it. Thanks for the idea.**

It's our first day in the White House (sort of)! I didn't work with Mrs. Bartlett that much during her time in the White House, so the East Wing is a whole new experience for me. Luckily, I have Mrs. Santos and Ainsley to share that new experience with. After going through the White House as if it's a maze, I finally find my desk, with a beautiful bouquet of calla lilies with some lilies of the valley - my favorite possible arrangement. I instantly realize who it's from, Josh. He is the only person who has sent me this arrangement, and he always sends it on our "not-anniversary" in April, so I was puzzled as to why he sent it today. I notice a card so I open it, expecting to read that he "accidentally" spilled coffee on his shirt and can't trust his new secretary, Gloria, to bring it to the 1 hour dry-cleaners. However, to my shock, the card said something completely different.

"Happy 9 Month Anniversary! Meet me at 1789 at 7 pm.

I promise I'll be on time, even if my watch sucks !

Love,

Josh"

It nearly made me faint, so I decided to call Josh to see what I should wear. However, his reaction was a little weird.

**That's it. Next up, the phone call. Did Josh really write the note? You'll have to see. Please review, I wanna see what people think of it. By the way, I looked up fancy restaurants in DC, and 1789 is evidently a very expensive restaurant in Georgetown, just so you know.**


	4. SAM!

Here's Chapter4. I didn't mean to scare anyone about the note, just read this chapter and you'll understand.

**Kursk: April 22 makes it exactly 9 months, because today is Jan. 22**

**Miss Jasadin: CJ is special counsel to Leo, she will definitely be used, but in later chapters.**

It was my very first senior staff meeting, even though I had worked with everyone who was in the room before. It was Sam, Annabeth, Charlie, and I. Sam had yet to appoint a deputy, but we were looking. While I was finally getting my point across to Annabeth that she should use the stool, the phone rang. I asked Gloria to pick it up, but she said it was only ringing in my office, which meant someone wanted to talk to me really bad.

I picked up and Donna answers with a weird question, "What should I wear?" So, like any normal human being, I ask her the occasion. Then, she reads me this card that she got with some flowers and I soon realize who truly sent them. Not to make her speculate too much, I suggested something red, it's my favorite color on Donna and hung up the phone. As all of senior staff had witnessed the conversation, I order Annabeth and Charlie out, shut every door, and prepare to give my best friend a talking to. "SAM!"

"What? Josh, for god's sake, it's been 9 months. Every time we go out to the deli for lunch, you can't stop staring at all the pretty rings in the window. Dammit, if people didn't know you very well they'd swear you've been together since Bartlett's first campaign, which you should've been, but that's beside the point. Ainsley and I had been going out for 6 months when I asked her, and it was 7 for Charlie and Zoey, so you're late."

"But Sam, what happens if I screw this up? Traditionally, you only propose once, you can't start and then say, 'Wait, can I start over, I messed that up'. That's just bad."

"Why can't you screw up? When I asked Ainsley, we were at Disneyland in front of the teacup ride, because it's her favorite. Anyway, this kid wasn't paying attention and right as I was asking, her dropped vanilla soft-serve ice cream on my head. Now it's our special ice cream. It's OK to screw up Josh; it makes it more human verses fairytale. Now, we'll pick up lunch, AFTER you pick out the ring. Do you know her ring size?"

"6 1/2, 6 is too small, 7 is too big."

"Good, now meet me at McKay Jewelers at noon. I'll tell Toby to join us."

Oh fun, I just need Toby complete _support_ in picking a ring."

See? By the way, I made up McKay Jewelers, so if there _happens_ to be one in DC, this one's different.


	5. At the Jewelers

Sorry I haven't updated in so long. Just started high school, it's a killer. By the way, never take Honors Physical Science. It will fing kill you. Well, next chapter up! In honor of John Spencer, gone but never forgotten. May he rest in peace.

I told Gloria about our scheme, buying Donna the most gorgeous ring on the planet and all. I told her if she blabs a word to Donna not only would she be fired, but I'd kill her. I'm guessing that was a pretty reasonable threat. Before meet Sam (and unfortunately Toby) at the Jewelers, I stopped by Leo's office to see what he thought. It was the most interesting conversation I've had with him in all of 35 years of friendship.

"So, Leo, ya see…"

"Spill it, Josh. Did you make up another secret plan to fight inflation?"

"No, but uh, well, ummm…"

"God damn it, Josh! I've got SenatorStackhouse coming over, and you know if he isn't happy I'll be listening to Martha Stewart tips for the Rose Garden for the next 8 hours so what – "

"I'm gonna ask Donna to marry me," I blurted out.

"Well, it's about time son. You gotta ring?"

"Going to get one right now."

"Great, and Josh…"

"Yeah?"

"Don't be stupid. And so help me God if you hurt her…"

"I know. Thanks Leo."

With that I left the OEOB and headed over to McKay Jewelers.

"Hey Gloria, where's Josh?"

"He went to lunch."

"Where?"

"He wouldn't say."

"Oh, do you know where Sam and Toby are?"

"Probably on the Hill."

"Oh"

Where could he go for lunch. He told be his schedule was jam packed. Oh well. Time for my 12:30 briefing.

"Josh where the hell were you?"cries Sam as I get out of the car.

"Got permission from Leo. He gave the whole, he hurt her, your history speech. Ya, nothing major."

Little did I realize how much Toby cared for Donna until he practically burst out screaming, "God damn it Josh you think that's nothing major. If you even make her cry one try of sadness I'll rip your throat out and take responsibily!"

"Okay…let's pick out a ring, shall we?"

After viewing hundreds of rings, none of us agreed on one. More specifically, Toby hated all of them. Common excuses were: "Too big", "Too small", "It's Pear-shaped" , "She doesn't like Marquise cut". I tolerated this to the point where I ask him, "Either you two are having an affair I don't know about or you're a stalker."

"It's called being a friend, Josh. She's seen my soft side which you all have not."

After another hour, we found it. "That's the one!" exclaimed Sam.

"It is perfect," I noted.

"You don't get that for her and I'll kill you," Toby stated quite bluntly. Always a joy to have him.

The ring was not terrible. I was expecting between 15 and 20 grand, but this one was only $12,500. I know that isn't that much better, but it will do. I hope she like. More over, I hope she says YES!


End file.
